Automatically actuated headrest for reclining chairs



March 21, 1961 AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATED HEADREST FOR RECLINING CHAIRS 20 FIG. 5 /'8 2&2 g 2 26 28\i gi- 1-K: 28

L 3o\\ M 30 W 4g 36 IO I0 A. M. SPOUND ET AL Filed May 2, 195a INVENTORS ALBERT M. SPOUND JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY United States AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATED HEADREST FOR RECLINING CHAIRS Albert M. Spound, Charlton Co., Fitchburg, Mass., and Joseph Martin, Bayside, N.Y.; said Martin assignor to said Spound Filed May 2, 1958, Ser. No. 732,652

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-177) This invention relates to a mechanism for causing the automatic projection of a headrest normally concealed in the backrest of a low-back reclining chair, so that the chair is automatically convertible from a sitting position in which the headrest is completely concealed to a reclining position in which the headrest is projected in convenient position for supporting the head of the occupant of the chair in head-back reclining or resting position, together with mechanism providing for further rearward inclination of the backrest with the headrest already fully projected.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a reclining chair with an automatic headrest as above described which is operable by reason of a parallel bar linkage actuated by a driving rod and a set of springs which operate the device and cause the headrest to be projected during the initial motion of the backrest toward reclining position, to the end that the headrest may be automatically projected for use upon a relatively slight motion of the backrest to be presented in operative condition even though the occupant of the chair merely leans back, and does not desire to recline.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view in side elevation with parts of the chair removed and parts in section in order to show the operation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the parts in a diiferent position;

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation with parts removed and looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, looking in the direction of arrow 4 in Fig. 1.

This invention relates to any type of reclining chair which may be provided with the mechanism described herein but for purposes of illustration the invention has been shown applied to a conventional type of low-back chair comprising side frames 10 connected by the usual frame members, etc., and which may be upholstered forming the arms. On this more or less usual frame there is mounted a member 12 bearing a pivoted bracket or plate 14 mounting the seat 16 on which in turn is mounted the backrest unit 18. The headrest is generally indicated at 20 and in Fig. l is retracted and completely concealed within the backrest 18 except at the top portion thereof as shown in Fig. 4; and in Fig. 2 the same is shown as fully projected in position for use for the general purpose intended.

As shown in Fig. 2, the headrest has a surface at 24 which may be generally aligned with the upholstered surface of the backrest member '18, but is slightly inclined with respect thereto for the maximum comfort of the occupant.

The headrest 20 in general is mounted on two pairs of parallel bar or lever members 26, 28 which are conveniently pivoted on the side frames 3d of the backrest 2,975,326 Patented Mar. 21,1961

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member 18, see Fig. 3. It is to be noted that in these drawings, the upholstery has been removed for clarity of illustration of the invention.

It will thus be seen-that if lever 28 receives an upward thrust when it isin the Fig. 1 position, it will move the headrest upwardly and forwardly to the position at Fig. 2.

To this end, there is provided a driving member 32 which in this instance is in the form of an elongated rod pivoted at 34 intermediate the ends of the bar or lever 28. At its lower end, the driving member 32 is pivoted at '36 to a lever 38 in turn pivoted at its opposite end at 40 to frame member 10. A stop 42 prevents lever 38 from turning in a clockwise direction past a certain degree, see Fig. 1, and it is also provided with a spring member 44 which constantly urges lever 38 in a clockwise direction, i.e., upwardly. In the case shown, this is a compression spring but of course a tension spring could be used acting on the opposite side of the lever 38 for the same purpose.

The driving member 32 is connected to a tension spring 46 which constantly tends to maintain the same in an upward direction. This spring is therefore shown extended in Fig. 1 and retracted in Fig. 2, so that as the headrest moves from extended to retracted condition, spring 46 is tensioned.

The driving member 32 is conveniently mounted in the center of the backrest, see Fig. 3, and at its upper end is connected to a cross-rod 48 which extends to both sides thereof to operate the respective linkages 26, 28 as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so that but a single driving member 32 is necessary. The pivot 40 may also be provided by a crossrod mounted in the frame members 10, 10 also as shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the device, when the occupant of the chair is sitting up as in Fig. 1, the parts are held in stationary condition. However, upon leaning backwardly in the chair, against backrest 18, the driving member 32 is moved relatively upwardly due to the springs 44 and 46 both of which act against downward motion of driving member 32 and lever 38. The headrest is therefore projected rapidly to the Fig. 2 position upon a relatively small rearward motion of the reclining chair and the reclining chair can move further backwardly to an advanced reclining position, the driving member 32 compressing spring 44 to a greater degree by forcing lever 38 in a counterclockwise direction. This is in effect a lostmotion device. All the parts 32, 26, 28 and the headrest itself remain fixed with relation to the backrest member by reason of a forward stop at 50.

Thus it will be seen that the action of the headrest is accomplished at the initial stage of the motion of the chair toward reclining position, and that once the headrest is in operative extended condition as in Fig. 2, the chair may be'extended further toward the rear, i.e., to a position wherein the occupant is reclining to a greater extent than at the point where the headrest was initially projected. Hence the occupant can cause projection of the headrest in leaning only slightly backwards against the backrest, and need not cause complete reclining motion of the chair in order to be provided with the headrest. Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but

J: sociated with the backrest and said frame, said resilient means operating said headrest projecting means automatically upon pivoting Of said backrest from seating position toward reclining position, said resilient means yielding to provide for continued motion of the backrest with the headrest fully projected.

2. Article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said headrest projecting means includes a driving member, a pivoted lever on the frame supporting said member, said resilient means providing a support for the pivoted lever.

3. Article of furniture of claim 1-, wherein said headrest projecting means includes a driving member, a lever on the frame for actuating said member, the driving members being operatively connected to the headrest to operate the same, and resilient means forming a yielding support on the frame for the lever, said resilient means yielding to support the driving member and lever so that the headrest is held projected and the backrest may continue in its rearward motion even after the headrest is projected to its full extent.

4. Article of furniture of claim 1 including a stop for the headrest to limit the projection thereof, said lastnamed means including a generally longitudinally movable rod connected at one end to the headrest, a movable pivot for the other end of the rod, said resilient means holding the pivot against motion during a predetermined motion of the backrest and yielding thereafter toproject the headrest and also to provide for motion of the backrest past the range of the predetermined motion afores'aid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 467,756 Sandburg Jan. 26, 1892 2,843,183 Luckhardt July 15, 1958 2,843,184 Lorenz July 15, 1958 2,884,992 Spound et a1 May 5, 1959 

